Project Apollo
Pressure Garment Assembly
(PGA)
All photos on this page courtesy Kipp Teague's Project Apollo Archive

The Apollo PGA was a miracle in engineering.  It was essentially a small spacecraft, capable of extended periods of operation in the incredibly harsh thermal and vaccuum conditions of space.  It served as a life support system for the crewmen both in the spacecraft and on the lunar surface.  While inside the spacecraft (intravehicular or IV), it was designed to protect the crew in case of a catastrophic loss of pressure.  While on the moon, the CDR & LMP added the extravehicular (EV) equipment needed to become independant of the spacecraft life support system (the Portable Life Support System or PLSS, pronounced "Pliss"), an emergency oxygen supply called the Oxygen Purge System (OPS) and the PLSS Remote Control Unit (RCU).  Several items of EV equipment were also added to aid in mobility on the surface and protect the crew from the harsh lunar environment.  These were the EV boots and gloves, and the Lunar Extravehicular Visor Assembly (LEVA).  For a full explanation of all of the inner and outer components of the PGA, click here.
 

Apollo A-7L (left) and A-7LB (right) PGAs
Some nice clear images showing the various parts of the suits, with labels added to tell you what's what
Apollo A-7L PGA in action
Left - Crew of Apollo 11 in the white room.  Note back of Buzz Aldrin's suit (center of picture) showing the zipper flap and the patch of gray Chromel R on the mid-back.  Also note the pouch under Aldrin's right arm, which held the flotation device in case of an emergency water landing.  This device is shown in the photo at left above.
Right - Jim Lovell fully suited.  This picture illustrates the fact that on the A-7L the 3 umbilical connectors on the left side of the suit were for PLSS connections, because they are not in use here while he is on the ground.  For a full explanation of the layout of the umbilical connectors, click here.  Also note the intravehicular gloves, with the knobby knuckles, and the red Commander's stripes, worn for the first time by Lovell on Apollo 13.



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